Homo Deus

A Brief History of Tomorrow

By: Yuval Noah Harari

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically acclaimed New York Times best seller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity's future and our quest to upgrade humans into gods.

Over the past century, humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine, plague, and war. This may seem hard to accept, but as Harari explains in his trademark style - thorough yet riveting - famine, plague, and war have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature into manageable challenges. For the first time ever, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little; more people die from old age than from infectious diseases; and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers, terrorists, and criminals put together. The average American is 1,000 times more likely to die from binging at McDonalds than from being blown up by Al Qaeda.

What then will replace famine, plague, and war at the top of the human agenda? As the self-made gods of planet Earth, what destinies will we set ourselves, and which quests will we undertake? Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams, and nightmares that will shape the 21st century - from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers? This is the next stage of evolution. This is Homo Deus.

With the same insight and clarity that made Sapiens an international hit and a New York Times best seller, Harari maps out our future.

©2017 Yuval Noah Harari (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Derek Perkins narrates the audiobook with an authentic excitement that engages listeners... Science enthusiasts will undoubtedly devour this audiobook, while others may wish Perkins had taught their high school science class." ( AudioFile)

Evolutionary Experience

First Sapiens, then this back to back. I feel like I transversed into a new era of man like in the ending sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Life changing work.

Don't kill the Messenger

I've heard that many people don't like Yuval Noah Harari's second book nearly as much as "Sapiens"

Really this is completely understandable when considering that Sapiens has all of us a the central figure of the story. Homo Deus is NOT this; it has at its center no hero, no answers and even more disturbingly, the latest set of deep and meaningful questions to confront humanity. These new questions aren't the age old ones of individual consciousness: Who am I? What's the meaning of life? How long do I have?

They are questions on the level of the species which undermine the dominant ideology of our time if not stealing our dreams for the future.

As the reader you might easily shrug this off and enjoy the concepts presented however for the same reasons we found Harari so compelling in "Sapiens," is the same REASON we can't shake his completely lucid characterization of the predicament humanity finds itself in presently.

Where Sapiens showed our progress and left us hopefully contemplating our happiness unfortunately Homo Deus leaves us with three questions that are more intractable and a sense that even if we answer them, they'll bring no solace...in our brief future.

Great! Makes you think.

'Sapiens' and now 'Homo Deus' make you think of humanity and life, then make you look inwards and think about yourself. And for some reason, thinking about all that stuff makes you feel happy. Happy reading/listening!

A Really Good Listen

I want to listen again to fully understand it's meaning. Thought provoking and entertaining narrative.

thought provoking

this is a very interesting thread of the possibilities and struggles facing humanity in the next (or current) technological ascension.

A book that actually explains how the works

this book was amazing. The insights and historical references explain so much about why we are where we are. I realize most people's view of the world bar in contrast with those of the author but a true intellectual would be able to listen with an open mind and walk away with some intriguing New Perspectives.

A little over simplified

Overall, this is a good book and it introduces topics that are overdue for public discussion. Outside of the relevant communities, not many people are following recent advances in genetic research or AI. But this is more than just a philosophical debate for scholars. For example, automation has already displaced many workers over the years and it is likely to displace many millions more (exact number is disputed). What happens to our political and economic systems if the labor of entire classes of people comes to have no economic value? That is just one of the many questions we will likely be faced with in coming years.

I gave this book 3 stars because:

1. It is a good intro to these topics for those who have not been following them, but may be a bit shallow for those who have. The purpose of this book is not to go into detail regarding the science or tech of these issues, so that should not be expected.

2. The author seems to take definitive moral positions without fully explaining opposing views.

3. He uses the word "religion" to mean almost any human philosophy or ideology. So for him "religion" includes the obvious ones like Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, etc. but also Capitalism, communism, secular humanism, democracy, etc. I think this extremely expansive definition is almost useless.

Amazing

Sapiens and Deus both filled my longing for an overall understanding or at least contemplation of where we sit as humans in this day and age and how that may end. Without being dreary Harari informs the reader of humanism and how it may be dying if it is not in fact dead already. So, although man will survive, possibly even thrive, we are no longer the center of the universe.

Great, but similar to his other book

The book is wonderful, Noah is, after all, an inspiring writer, but about 2/3 of the book is practically identical to his first book.

Brilliant, thought provoking book with superb narration!

I loved the author's first book, Sapiens, but think he has topped himself with this one. You will be smarter just for having listened to this terrific work! Few books raise as many interesting and relevant questions.